One of the largest global surveys of society’s attitudes toward breakthrough technologies
Scientific advances will only succeed if people are willing to embrace them. Leaps by Bayer (the company’s impact investment arm) and BCG, together with Ipsos (a leading market research agency), recently conducted one of the largest surveys to adate on global public sentiment towards four transformative technologies of our time: artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, cell and gene therapies (CGTs), new genomic techniques in agriculture (NGTs), and cultivated meat. This study collected insights from over 13,000 participants aiming to build a comprehensive view of public understanding, fears, hopes, and priorities surrounding these innovations.
The technologies were chosen based on their significant potential to impact their respective industries, their relevance, and projected timeline for market entry. While these technologies will affect everyone in some way, people in different countries could have limited understanding of them – potentially limiting their adoption and impact.
The Approach
15 min online interviews
N = +1,000 per country
Conducted Jun-Sep 2024 by
The goal is to deliver actionable insight that can facilitate societal alignment.
Key findings: Belief that science and technology can solve societal challenges varies around the world
In a world grappling with economic instability and political uncertainty, breakthrough technologies inspire positivity. Our data shows a strong belief worldwide that science and technology hold the key to unlocking solutions that can significantly improve our world.
Juergen Eckhardt in Forbes
From the printing press to refrigeration to IVF, innovations have transformed public life. But such technological advances can only succeed if the public is willing to embrace them. Considering escalating threats like climate change, food insecurity and strained health systems, the need for innovation is greater than ever. But disinformation can fuel fear and resistance to potential breakthroughs.
Read The Article
A closer look at four breakthrough innovations
To better understand people’s perceptions, we asked those who feel they understand the definition what they thought about four breakthrough innovations.
AI in healthcare
Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely seen as a transformative force in healthcare, with 64% of people feeling positive about its future impact on human health, 23% neutral, and 10% negative.
Widespread optimism for cell therapies and gene therapies
Respondents are even more positive about cell and gene therapy (CGT), with 74% optimistic about its potential to cure diseases, 21% neutral, and a mere 3% pessimistic. That strong positive sentiment across generations and regions makes CGT the highest-rated breakthrough of the four in our analysis.
People are largely supportive of new genomic techniques (NGTs) in agriculture
Sentiment toward new genomic techniques (NGTs) in agriculture is generally positive, though less so than for the two healthcare-related innovations. In our sample, 56% hold a positive opinion, 31% are neutral, and only 8% hold negative views. To some degree, perceptions about NGTs align with the degree of regulation in a respondent’s country. For example, Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, and the U.S. have adopted more permissive frameworks for the use of NGTs in agriculture, and perceptions among respondents in those countries are more likely to be positive.
The public has mixed feelings about cultivated meat
Cultivated meat—likely the most controversial of the four breakthrough innovations in our analysis—shows mixed perceptions, with 39% of respondents expressing a positive view (lowest of the four in our study), 40% remaining neutral, and 19% negative (higher than any other). Regionally, the strongest negative opinions towards cultivated meat are in selected European countries such as France (33%) and Germany (28%) and the U.S. (28%), where concerns over the potential disruption to agricultural industries and skepticism around the safety and authenticity of cultivated meat are factoring into regulatory discussions.
How society feels about breakthrough science
Methodology
In 2024, a comprehensive survey was conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Leaps by Bayer and BCG to capture information on attitudes toward scientific innovations and emerging technologies across 13 countries.
A 15-minute online survey was conducted by Ipsos between 27th August 2024 and 18th October 2024, amongst adults aged 18+ from 13 countries including:
- High income: the United States, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Singapore
- Upper-middle income: Brazil, Mexico, China, South Africa, Australia
- Lower-middle income: India, Nigeria
The total sample was 13,111 (1,000 in each US, Germany, Italy, France, and Australia; 1,001 in each Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, India; 1,002 in each South Africa and Japan; 1,003 in Singapore; and 1,100 in China). Participants were recruited from market research panels, and quotas were imposed to ensure national representation based on region, age and gender and employment status (as well as ethnicity in the US). The total number of interviews across the 13 countries was weighted to “country averages” (giving each country the same weight in the total), and weighting has been employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to the most recent census data on region, age, gender, employment, and ethnicity in the USA. No weighting was applied to adjust on any other demographic. Due to the online manner of the survey, the survey results should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of the population.
The survey explored topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine and health, cell and gene therapy (CGT), cultivated meat (CM), new genomic techniques (NGTs), and overall attitudes toward scientific innovation. Key areas of focus included:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Medicine: Awareness of AI applications in healthcare, opinions on its potential benefits, concerns regarding its use, and likelihood of utilizing AI tools or accepting AI-assisted medical support from doctors.
Cell and gene therapy (CGT): Levels of optimism or pessimism regarding CGT as a potential cure for diseases, perceived level and tested knowledge, concerns around the motives of pharmaceutical companies, and accessibility of CGT treatments.
Cultivated meat: Opinions, perceived level and tested knowledge, likelihood of trying cultivated meat, reasons for potential adoption, perceived benefits, and general awareness.
New genomic techniques (NGTs): Opinions on NGTs, perceived level and tested knowledge, perceived benefits, and understanding of the science behind it. In addition, the survey evaluated broader attitudes toward food and nutrition, knowledge of CM, NGTs, and CGT, as well as the general mindset toward scientific advancements. The survey also addressed overarching societal views, including:
- Perceptions of the direction in which the world is heading
- Self-defined attitudes or mindsets toward science and progress
- Climate change and its impacts
- Opinions on the potential for scientific breakthroughs
- The perceived pace of innovation
- Information overload on food, health, and food choices
- Trust in government policies, healthcare authorities, and pharmaceutical companies
Topic definitions
Cultivated meat is genuine animal meat that is produced by growing animal cells directly. This production method eliminates the need to raise and farm animals for food. Cultivated meat is made of the same cell types that can be arranged in a similar structure as animal tissues, thus replicating the taste, texture, and nutrition of conventional meat. Cell therapies transfer living cells to a patient to prevent or treat diseases caused by damaged or malfunctioning cells. Gene therapy uses genetic material to address genetic diseases including Sickle Cell Disease, as well as some acquired diseases, like heart failure. There are thousands of cell and gene therapies in clinical trials globally. If successful, many of these therapies aim to deliver permanent or curative treatments.
New genomic techniques (NGTs) are innovative tools that can introduce small genetic changes to crops, similar to those that occur naturally or through conventional breeding, unlike GMOs. Scientists use NGTs including CRISPR and RNAi to develop crops with improved resilience to climate change, increased freshness to reduce food waste, enhanced nutrition, and other benefits.
No definition was provided for AI in Health and Medicine, given the widespread familiarity with the term AI. Additionally, in this context, a technical understanding of AI was less relevant than the use case. Instead, participants were asked about their awareness of the following health and medicine use cases for AI:
- AI used in drug discovery
- Remote patient monitoring tools that track risk factors and prioritize patient care
- Medical imaging analysis that could detect problems more accurately
- Applications that diagnose diseases based on symptoms
- Specialized, clinically tested chatbots that offer 24/7 health advice
Authors & Contributors
Matthias Berninger – Bayer, EVP, Public Affairs, Science, & Sustainability
Dr. Jürgen Eckhardt – Leaps and Bayer, EVP and Head of Leaps by Bayer and Head of BD&L for Pharmaceuticals
André Guillaume – Leaps, VP, Head of Brand & Community Engagement
Karyn Riegel – Leaps, Deputy Director of Brand & Community Engagement
Kira Peikoff – Leaps, Deputy Director of Communications
Nicki Saee - Leaps, Digital & Event Marketing Manager
Nicolas Schleyer - Market Research Director
Dr. Torsten Kurth - BCG, Berlin, Managing Director and Senior Partner
Dr. Friedrich Möckel - BCG, Geneva, Managing Director and Partner
Pascal Peters - BCG, New York, Principal
Sofia Torres Venegas - BCG, Vienna, Consultant
Judith Wallenstein - BCG, Munich, Managing Director and Senior Partner
Dr. Friedemann Wolf - BCG, Hamburg, Managing Director and Partner
Chloe Amor - Ipsos, London, Senior Research Executive
Hattie Palmer - Ipsos, London, Senior Research Executive
Serena Urzi - Ipsos, London, Project Lead, Associate Director